Most Christians know what the Bible says about God’s great love for his children, yet many have never learned to appropriate that love, even after years of faithfully walking with Jesus. There are dedicated servants of God who have never enjoyed the glorious experience and benefits of knowing the Father’s love — and nothing saddens God’s heart more.
God described himself to Moses in this way: “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin” (Exodus 34:6-7).
God wanted Moses to know that he was merciful, gracious, longsuffering and forgiving. We have been taught much about these; indeed, from cover to cover the Bible speaks of the Father’s loving and tender heart toward us. But when we are mired in the midst of trials and tribulations, we often forget what God has said about himself.
Scripture says of the Lord again and again that he is ready to forgive at all times (Psalm 86:5); patient with us, full of tenderness and mercy (Psalm 145:9, Psalm 119:156); slow to anger and wrath (Joel 2:13).
The Lord wants us to approach him fully convinced that he loves us. And he wants us to know he is all he says he is. For this reason, Satan will try to make us believe a lie about our Father. If you have been adopted into God’s family through Christ, you must know how special you are to him. You are the recipient of the Father’s special love for his children.
“You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light … [you] are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy” (1 Peter 2:9-10).